Glass Heart
by blank-nolongerinuseok
Summary: How can a woman love a man who is bent on satisfying his thirst for vengeance? Rosa doesn't know, but now that Ezio has been missing for nearly a week, she realises that it's time to find out the answer to her own question... PlzReview, You get cookies!
1. Shut Up, Ugo!

My heart is like glass,

So very easily broken,

By somebody who isn't,

Even worth my tears.

...

How can a woman love a man who is bent on satisfying his thirst for vengeance?

"I don't know," Rosa muttered to herself, answering her own question out loud, "but I'm a perfect example."

"What was that?"

Rosa sighed. "Nothing, Ugo," she told her ever watchful companion, waving her hand dismissively. Ugo paid a lot of attention to all the little things – far too much for his own good, that was. He cared too much about Rosa, gave her what he even knew was unrequited love – one day he was going to thoroughly break his own heart by loving someone who could simply not love him back in the same way. But for now, he persisted in tagging along with Rosa whenever he could.

"Something's on your mind," Ugo commented worriedly, "and I mean other than the task at hand."

"Ugo, shut up," snapped Rosa, irritated by his nagging already, "because if you don't, I will make you."

Ugo smiled at her blatantly uncontrolled short fuse, the temper that no one had ever even attempted to muster, and the only people who dared face it were Antonio and he.

"Calm yourself," Ugo said gently, "and we will talk about what's bothering you later."

"Well, no need for that. I'll tell you right now what's bothering me – you," Rosa hissed, but secretly she did admire Ugo's persistence, despite her unveiled threat. She would've described him as stubborn, if only the word hadn't suited her even more so. If Ugo's opinion was hard to sway, then convincing Rosa of something other than from what she believed in was absolutely, utterly impossible.

Ugo didn't respond immediately to her. What she said might have insulted anyone else deeply, but he accepted the fact that his crush said many things that she didn't mean; therefore he didn't egg on an argument between them by giving a comeback.

But then he realised. "You're worried about _Ezio_, aren't you?" He couldn't hide the loathing in his voice – nor did he attempt to.

Rosa looked away, visibly gritting her teeth, refusing to meet her friend's intense gaze. "He's been missing for days, Ugo, how can I not be worried?"

"I should've known," Ugo droned on, ignoring her statement, "after these last few days. All I've heard is _Ezio this, Ezio that._ Even when you're not talking about him, I can tell by the look on your face that you're thinking about him." His face screwed up in disgust. "Anyone else would think that you two were -"

"Enough, Ugo!"

"– ruddy married."

Rosa's eyes flashed dangerously. "You are going to wish that you'd never have been born, you... you..." She apparently couldn't find a word bad enough to describe what she thought of Ugo in their current situation. "You know what? _Fottiti_! You can finish the darn mission by yourself, _stronzo_!"

Ugo tried to apologise. "Rosa, mi dispiace veramente -"

"Chiudi il becco, figlio d'un cane!" Rosa stood herself up straight and marched off, fuming mad, out of their hiding spot in the crates, out of the market, away from the person she was angry at.

"Wait!" Ugo cried after her, but the damage was done. Swearing at himself, he went back into the market place without his companion to help him finish the pick pocketing mission.


	2. The Chase

**Glass Heart Chapter 2**

I must follow my head

But I want to follow my heart

So easily broken

By the tiniest glass shard

….

"Is there any news of Ezio's whereabouts?"

"_No ancora_," sighed Antonio, "I'm afraid not."

Rosa stamped her foot down and cursed. "_Sparare!_"

"We won't give up in our search," Antonio reassured his student. "Although, it's actually quite likely that he's out of Venezia, seeing as he has been gone for this long… though I have no idea why he would have business elsewhere in his current dilemma…"

"Well then, he must be somewhere in Venezia! He has no reason to be anywhere else! After all," Rosa added jokingly to hide how badly she really felt about the situation, "here, he's got _me_, what reason would he have to leave?"

Antonio chuckled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

….

"You're going to have to run faster than _that_, _assassino_, if you want to get away!"

Ezio was running across the rooftops in Venice as fast as he could, occasionally glancing over his slowly healing shoulder to see where his pursuer was.

Being chased by the fastest and watchful Templar he'd ever come across wasn't a good situation to be in – especially not when you're losing blood at a steady pace. The Templar wore a black mask over his nose and mouth and a scarlet cape and hood which shadowed his eyes.

For the last six days, Ezio Auditore had been in hiding. It had started with him trying to find some extra change. He'd made his way to the nearest pigeon coop, as he usually would. He opened the hatch, scooped up the nearest bird and read the note attached to its gummy little leg. It read:

_**Beware, Assassin,**_

_**Your days are numbered. We will gain the information we want from you soon enough, even if you don't cooperate. **_

_**We shall be seeing you in a short while,**_

_**Cordiali saluti…**_

And then there was an incomprehensible scribble that Ezio had to assume was a signature. Almost immediately he heard a 'swoosh' noise in the air – he turned to defend himself just in time as a throwing knife glanced off the vambrace on the forearm that he held up. Another knife came at him, and this time, with great skill and accuracy, he was fast enough to draw his dagger and deflect it. There was a silence and Ezio still couldn't see his attacker.

"I'm not here to play games," he murmured, glancing warily about his surroundings on the tiled roof the pigeon coop was stood on, "but if you wish to play a game, it will not be one of cowardice."

Ezio jumped as several birds suddenly took off from the next roof. The only thing after that which broke the silence was his breathing and his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

"Show yourself!" he eventually called impatiently.

"I'm no coward, _assassino_; I am simply skilled in the art of stealth. As should you be, considering your profession." The voice came from behind – it was strangely accented and deliberately gruff.

Ezio turned again, but wasn't fast enough to dodge or deflect the knife that flew through the air in an elegant arc and embedded itself in his shoulder up to the hilt.

There was a flash of red and a short figure stood before him. "The Templar Order needs information that only you have, _assassino_, and I have been ordered to obtain it."

"Templar scum," Ezio hissed, gripping his shoulder tightly, trying to stop the blood flow from turning his white robes to crimson. He lashed out at the assailant with the fist holding the dagger, only to be blocked and countered by a hefty blow to the stomach, winding him.

Knowing that he might well have met his match, the injured assassin spun on his heel and sped away over the brown rooftops.

"Ezio Auditore da Firenze – you have just made the biggest mistake of your life."

And as the chase began, Ezio began to realize why. It went on for days – not the running, but finding food, water, and managing to stay hidden long enough from the opponent to be able to consume the supplies. It soon became a game of cat and mouse – the pursuer was relentless, and managed to root him out almost anywhere.

At one point, Ezio was attempting to blend in with the crowd – and saw Rosa, Antonio and Ugo. They didn't notice him. Ezio was tempted to go over and tell them why he had been gone for so long, but he knew that he couldn't. The Templar bastard was probably watching him right now, seeing who he made contact with. If his pursuer knew that he had connections with certain people…

Who knew what might happen. Blackmail sent? Hostages held unless the confused assassin turned himself over? He didn't even know what information the Templar Order wanted! And how did they know exactly where he would be? He was meant to be _incognito_!

No matter his attempts to evade the red clad person, they were pointless.

"He shouldn't worry. The chase is coming to an end."

**Author's Note**

**Hello viewers! Did you know that if you review, you get not just three cookies, but a gold star sticker and a bag full of glitter? Well, why don't you go and earn these virtual prizes and click the review button! :D**

**Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed this second chapter.**

**I promise it will get more interesting. You'll find out where this story goes soon enough.**

**Indeed, the chase is drawing to a close…**


	3. Crestfallen

**Hey guys! Thanks for reviews and such : ) Here's a packet of cookies for y'all to share :D**

**I'm not really sure about this chapter :/ Think I might re-write it...**

**Well, enjoy, and if you can't, send me a message saying so! Because I need to know of any flaws in my writing so that I can improve upon it : )**

Ezio was slithering down a narrow alleyway that was only just over the width of two sets of his shoulders. He sidled along it sideways, attempting to reach the other side of the block of buildings before the Templar could realise where he'd gone to.

"No need for attempt at stealth, _assassino_, I can see you from above!"

He cursed and glanced up from underneath his hood. Sure enough, there was the Templar, face peering over the edge of the rooftops above. "I don't even know why you're after me! I don't have information you need!"

"You're an assassin. That's enough for us to want to capture you, you murdering scum," the Templar hissed, loudly enough to make Ezio think that she was about to spit on his head.

"I'm not a murder. I simply preserve justice." He made for the other end of the alley, only to find his way blocked by a familiar figure. "Ugo! You've found me?" However, the man didn't reply straight away, only managing to look as stunned as Ezio did. Instead, he shook his head, evidently confused himself.

"I was... looking for Rosa," he finally said, and the puzzled expression was replaced by one of mistrust.

"You've got to get away from here," Ezio whispered frantically, thinking of the Templar watching from above, "before _they _get you too." He jerked his chin slightly upward in indication.

"Is that a _friend, _Auditore boy?" he heard the Templar sneer loudly.

Ezio didn't say anything in response to the Templar, but he looked to Ugo expectantly. Ugo _was _his friend, right? He didn't expect a spoken reply – he knew Ugo should get away as soon as he could – but he did expect at least the small nod of the head, just a little sign to show that there was loyalty between them.

"No."

Ezio's eyes widened. "W-What? I thought... even if you do like Rosa... I..."

"No." Ugo wouldn't meet Ezio's gaze. He glanced up at the rooftops. "You're welcome to him!" he announced, spun on his heel and sped back through the marketplace.

Crestfallen, the assassin watched him go. He'd always known that there was competition between him and the thief, but in what friendship wasn't there just a little competitive edge, a little gamble?

"Oooh, aren't you _uno solitario_!" the Templar teased horribly, leaping down from the roof and, using Ezio's head as a foothold, bounced and rolled to the ground into a crouching position.

"Argh! _Fotiti_!" Ezio yelped, angrily gripping his head where the opponent's sharp shoes had caught him. There was a stinging sensation on the very top.

"Don't talk to a lady in such a manner," his pursuer gasped in mock shock, then preceded to pull her red hood down to her neck. Ezio was stunned – not by beauty, for she was more striking than pretty – by how he could not have realised that the Templar was a _woman_. True, she had almost no figure, except for bulky arms that didn't quite match the streamlined body, and he could use this as an excuse for his lack of noticing femininity, but the voice... purposely gruff, it was, to dispel any notions of his assailant being a girl. _Dios, if I get out of this one, Rosa is going to make fun of me no ends, _Ezio groaned to himself.

He recovered quickly from the bump to his head – there was probably going to be a lump there later, darn – and brandished a knife from his intricately covered belt... and he had a single second to truly admire the angles of the woman's face. She had short dark hair that was cut into a clean cropped style, ending around the nape of the neck. Her eyes were an unnaturally bright green and her lips were thin and curled upwards in a smug grin.

"Goodnight, _assassino_," she breathed, her grin becoming even wider.

"I'm not sleeping yet, _cagna_!" Ezio spat as they somehow managed to circle each other with their weapons immediately equipped, even in the little space they had.

The smirk washed away from her face. "Did you just call me... a _bitch_?"

"Indeed I did, dear _cagna._"

"You're going to pay for that," the woman spat, her expression darkening considerably.

"I don't see how. You're finally confronting me, and there's no doubt that a man can better a woman in a fight."

"Then how come you ran away from me a few days ago as soon as you laid your eyes on me, you sexist _bastardo_?"

"I... I had some... stuff to attend to... I..." Ezio was caught off guard for a moment, struggling to find a witty comeback.

"Didn't think there was a reason, apart from your cowardice if I don't say so myself, _assassino_."

Ezio opened his mouth to counter – he was most certainly _not _a coward. There was a difference between fleeing out of fright and a tactical retreat – but was stopped by a sharp, painful thud in the back of his head and his vision began to turn black.

"Didn't think there was a reason for your kind to be alive, either," he heard the woman muse, just before everything around him was plunged into darkness.


End file.
